Focal an Lae #348
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: trua (TROO-uh) [truːə]
Meaning: trua = pity, compassion, object of pity
Usage:
- Is trua nach raibh tú ann. (iss TROO-uh nahkh REHV too AWN) [is truːə nax rev′ tuː aːn] = It’s too bad you weren’t there.
- Tá trua agam dó. (TAW TROO-uh AH-guhm do) [taː truːə agəm do] = I feel sorry for him. (lit., is pity at-me for-him)
- Is trua liom é. (iss TROO-uh lyum ay) [is truːə l′um eː] = I pity him. (lit., tis object-of-pity with-me he)
History: Old Irish “trúag” (miserable, wretched), Welsh “tru” (sad) and “truan” (wretch), Breton “truegez” (misery)
and Gaulish “trougo-” (unhappy) come from Indo-European *treugh-, from the root *terə- (to rub, turn).
Cognates in English include “thresh”, “trauma” and “truant”.
Scottish Gaelic: truagh